MHA622 Health Care Ethics: Ethical Code of Conduct at Monmouth

This report provides an overview of the ethical code of conduct at Monmouth Medical Center (MMC), emphasizing its role in maintaining a culture of integrity and ensuring quality, cost-effective healthcare services. It highlights the responsibilities of management in upholding the code, the process for reporting violations, and the protection afforded to those who report. The report also covers the rights and responsibilities of employees and patients, including the importance of respecting dignity, cultural diversity, and spiritual values. Furthermore, it addresses inappropriate behaviors within the healthcare setting and the organizational structure that supports ethical conduct. The report concludes by discussing ethical dilemmas faced by healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, and the importance of balancing ethical principles in decision-making.

Running head: ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT
Ethical Code of Conduct
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT
Ethical Code of Conduct
A role of a leader is to design new ways of delivering healthcare services in order to
satisfy the healthcare needs of the population. The healthcare needs of the population must be
designed in such a way that it is cost-effective and it covers different areas of the healthcare
like primary healthcare, secondary healthcare and tertiary healthcare. Monmouth Medical
Centre (MMC) provides safe, quality-driven and cost-effective healthcare services that helps
to nee the healthcare needs and expectations of the community dwelling individuals. The
code of conduct of the healthcare professionals practiced under the healthcare environment
will help to provide culturally competent care by respecting the dignity and spiritual thoughts
of the patients.
Executive summary
MMC created Ethical Code of conduct in order to maintain a culture of integrity. The
code clearly outlines the set of behavior that is expected from all the employees of MMC. All
the individuals are subjected to this policy and are obliged to report any cases that have
promoted violation of the code of conduct. The person who reports the case of violation is
given protection from reprimanding and retaliation. Any action going against the reported or
causing harm to the reporter results in undertaking disciplinary actions. The standards are
summarized below will proper evidence in order to upheld the importance of supportive
environment for all the members of the MMC.

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT
Management
The main management groups of the MMC include the senior managers, directors,
head of the departments, team leads or program leads and chief service managers. The
management is accountable for the following activities
1. Practicing by example by complying to the code of professional conduct during entire
tenure of professional practice
2. Individual adherence of the code of conduct
3. Create and maintain an environment that encourages the employees to indulge in active
collaboration with each other while showing a high level of professionalism
4. Encouraging the employees to indulge in an open communication with employees in the
domain where fear of retaliation is omitted when the concerns are highlighted to the
management
5. Proper documentation, investigation, implementation of proper action and at the same
seeking advice from the experts when there is gap in knowledge (Human Resources,
Diversity Team, Legal Office etc.).
Failure to Comply
MMC will investigate all the reports related to code violations. All the individuals are
responsible to stay oblige to and at the same time will report violations of the Code of
Conduct. This includes unethical and illegal conduct while on the campus and off the
campus. Violation of this code results in framing of disciplinary action followed by loss of
privileges and in extreme cases results in termination from the MMC.

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT
Reporting
The identity and other personal details of the persons reporting the violation in the
Code of Conduct are kept confidential for security reasons. They are covered under the code
to be safe from the process of retaliation, punishment and discrimination. Three available
resources are present in the hand of management for reporting and comforting the violation of
the code of conduct include
1. Seeking support
When confronted with an uncomfortable situation they may seek assistance from their
directors, supervisors or the fellow managers in order to make proper documentation of the
information related to violation. This report must include
a. Proper date and time of occurrence of the action
b. The name of the people involved in the act along with the name of the witnesses
c. Descriptions of the circumstances leading to the action
d. A detailed description of the course of action
e. Description of the set of disciplinary actions that has already been implemented (if any)
f. Detailed information of the staffs who have intervene in the process
Other staff that management at times look into include proper management of the human
resources, management of the legal affairs, privacy officer, diversity teams and the human
rights experts in order to conduct the a stringent investigation of the process of violation.
2. Direct Communication

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT
When someone encounters certain situation where violation of Code of Conduct have
occurred, the person who is experiencing that violation is advised to converse directly with
the defaulter in a professional manner while securing the privacy. Advising the person that
his per her behaviour is inappropriate or unwelcome is strictly recommended.
3. Confidential or Anonymous reporting
All the individuals under this policy are required to remain anonymous. Reporting portal of
the missed code of conduct in the MMC enables proper privacy and confidentiality of the
clients and reporting of the unethical activities. In order to find the report in the database, the
type of code of conduct must be typed in the MMC server and this will help to fetch the
required report. In the report fetched from the official database, the name, employee details
and other identification requirements like the phone number of the employees or the address
will be kept confidential. The reported will be fetched and will be sent to the official email of
the person who has requested to view the report.
Respect, Rights and Responsibilities
MMC is committed towards fostering a healthy yet positive environment where all the
employees and the patients feel safe and secure. Here the dignity, cultural diversity and the
spiritual values of each of the employees and the patients is given prime importance. Every
person who comes under this policy and is availing to giving service in the MMC has equal
rights to work in a culturally competency yet respectful environment. The respectful
environment is designed in such a way that it is free from harassment and discrimination and
where anyone can lodge complains without any fear of reprisal.
Each of the employee and the patient has the responsibility to treat everyone equally
under the hospital settings. The equal treatment deals with giving highest amount to respect,

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT
delivering standard quality of care and treatment while reporting any violation of this code in
the form of harassment and discrimination. The service users and the service givers of this
organization have equal rights and responsibility of get justice in-case of violation of the
policy and reporting of the same in order to avail justice.
* A comprehensive list of MMC policies can be found in a department wise manner in the
database of MMC.
The Patient and Family Rights
All the employees of MMC must respect and give honour to the rights of the patients,
their beliefs and choices. These rights are posted throughout the hospital premised and in all
public areas. The patient and their families have equal right to avail treatment where their
dignity is not hampered. This includes respecting dignity while protecting against
discrimination and harassment. Patients and the families have equal rights for receiving
appropriate, accessible along with equitable care while admitted in MMC.
Inappropriate Behavior
Behaviors that are considered to be inappropriate under the healthcare premises of
MMC and other healthcare organization include showing aggression and anger while
communicating with the patients and their family members. Some examples of these
inappropriate behaviours include using insulting words while communication, showing
disrespect to the family members of the patients and to the co-workers and use of abusive or
demeaning language. Aggression also include physical aggression, this known as active
aggression apart from using abusive language which is passive aggression.
MMC is New Jersey’s largest teaching medical hospital. MMC is regarded as one of
the first hospital in the region to offer Makoplasy robotics for joint replacement surgery. It is

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT
also one the first hospital to use Vinci Surgical system for conducting minimally invasive
surgical approach. The Comprehensive Breast Cancer treatment was introduced through 3D
mammography in MMC and is regarded as first in the region of New Jersey. It is also one of
the first medical centers that has the Neuroscience Institute that have introduced Gamma
Knife. It approach offers alternative to surgery for the patients who are suffering from brain
tumors (MMC, 2018).
MMC is organized with a proper functional structure. The functional structure
consists of supervisors, management leaders, directors who handle the distributed
responsibilities. The organizational structure selects how the process and the overall
presentation of the organization will be undertaken. This mainly encompasses the effective
management of the employee strength or staffing and recruitment. Other responsibilities
include financial management of the organization along with making a hierarchical roster for
the employees reporting who will report to whom. The benefits of maintaining this functional
structure of the organization aids in quick decision making process, creates provision for the
continuous professional development of the healthcare professional while maintaining unity
and integrity among the employees. Groups are created for the employees for skill
enhancement and giving them training in the information and communication technology.
Grouping of these employees together helps to increase the overall work efficiency of the
organization while improving the overall quality of care. Having a sound hierarchical model
enables the employees to report directly to the managers instead of multiple reporting and this
helps to reduce unwanted confusion while saving significant amount of time (Upcouncel,
2019).
Managers are mainly responsible for upholding the Code of conduct and leading
through setting example in order to help others to uphold the code as well. Management is
responsible for less number of staff members that conducts training, holds effective

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT
communication and skill development in technology. Since managers has the supreme
authority, they are hold responsible for miss-deed of their the employees who report under
them and they are accountable for their reportee failing to comply the code of conduct.
Three ways through which a manager can validate that their staffs are following the
required code of conduct is through monitoring, holding accountable and fast reporting.
Monitoring helps to spot the change in practice. Holding accountable helps to increase the
level of awareness while reporting the miss-deed helps to highlight the fault in practice
(Boundless Management, 2019).
However, the responsibility of reporting and proper observance of the Code of
Conduct does not fall in the shoulders of the management staffs. Employees are given a
written report, rather a copy of Code of ethics while they are hired. The Code of Conduct is
designed in order to help the newly recruited employee to understand what is expected from
them while they are on duty. Employees are mainly expected to uphold the work of daily
operations while maintaining the core values and cultural competency of the company. This
is the reason why the mission statement of the facility is always included within the code of
conduct. This helps to avoid misunderstanding of what is being expected from them and what
is being actually delivered.
Under the healthcare sectors, a situation comes where questions are raised against the
Code of Conduct. Nurses mainly experience this ethical dilemmas that force them to question
the code of conduct while operating under the hospital settings. Nurses are required to
execute an array of responsibilities like managing the health requirements of the patients,
communicating with the family members and also making proper documentation of the
patients health records and advices coming from doctors. An ethical dilemma is surfaced
when choice are need to be made but the answer are not clear. For example, an elderly man

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT
has been brought to the hospital but he is unwilling to avail treatment and wishes of leave the
hospital. The family members are also in favor of the patients. Here as per the ethical
principle of autonomy, the nurses is bound to allow the patient to leave the hospital.
However, the ethical principle of beneficence and non-malefience tells that nurses must not
cause harm to patient’s health. Going back homes and not availing treatment might ahrm the
health of the elderly patient and this give rise of ethical dilemma (The Duquesne University
School of Nursing, 2017). As per the Global Journal of Health Science, in the majority of the
time, telling the actual reality to the patients or his or her family members deals with
conveying the sad news. The majority of the doctors or the nurses faces complications or
suffers from dilemma in handling such situations like in case of the cancer patients and
advising them for the end of life care or palliative care.
The right of the patient is to be fully informed about their medical conditions so that
they have the freedom of choice as per the ethical principle of autonomy (Gold, 2004).
Alternatively, International code of Medical ethics states that physicians must act as per the
best interest of the patients while providing care. Any information that might hamper the
mental health status of the patients must be kept withheld. This was later revised to stress that
the patient has the supreme right to determine the process of treatment and physicians and
nurses must inform the chances of positive progression of the disease on availing the
treatment. The ethical issue within this situation mainly focus on the emotions of the patients
and the decision making power of the patients (Sarafis, Tsounis, Malliarous, Lahana, 2014).
Science Vs Spirituality is another ethical dilemma. In some religion the blood
transfusion, a lifesaving approach is condemned. As per the code of conduct of the nurses,
they are required to respect the cultural and spiritual values of the patients. However,
respecting spiritual values of the patients might endanger his or her health. A nurse is a

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT
disciple of science and must work as per the theory of science and thus leading to dilemma
(Iran J Public Health, 2013).
According to the American College of Healthcare Executives (2016), in order to
address such ethical dilemmas, the nurses must take help to the healthcare administrative or
the management bodies. There must be a sound process of decision-making guided by the
hospital management authority where all the factors like percentage of cost and harm and
benefits must be taken into consideration in order to place the final decision. Proper decision
will help to increase health outcome while decreasing unwanted hike in healthcare costs. The
management promoting the decision-making process results in appropriate use of the power
while making a perfect balance with the interests of the individuals, the ethics of the
organization and other societal issues.
Ethics committee at times has certain resources that help to aid in the process of
decision-making during the condition of ethical dilemmas. The management body is required
to follow these resources in order to increase the health outcome (American College of
Healthcare Executives, 2016).
MMC offers educational program for the healthcare professionals in order to aid in
the decision making process during ethical dilemmas. The educational program is mainly
targeted towards the new joiners or the novice personnel in order to refine their decision-
making skills (American College of Healthcare Executives, 2016). Management also plays an
important role in the process of development of codes like the professional code of conduct
and ethical code of conduct. The professional code of conduct helps in increase the overall
quality of the healthcare system. The ethical code of conduct helps in prioritizing the need
while increasing the cultural competency of the healthcare system.

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Reference
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ethical-standards/
Ethical Decision Making for Healthcare Executives. (n.d.). Retrieved from
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ethics/ethical-decision-making-for-healthcare-executives
Ethical Issues and Solutions for Nurse Managers. (2018, July 17). Retrieved from
https://onlinenursing.duq.edu/blog/ethical-issues-solutions-nurse-managers/
Functional Organizational Structure: Everything You Need to Know. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.upcounsel.com/functional-organizational-structure
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Sarafis, P., Tsounis, A., Malliarou, M., & Lahana, E. (2013, December 20). Disclosing the
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